The (Not Very) Bitter Library Assistant
by KitKat1122
Summary: Levi's stuck working at a boring library job, and it just so happens that he attracts annoying children - even though he avoids them completely. AU. Oneshot. (There is a little bit of swearing - that's the only reason it's T-rated - just to be safe.)


"Could you cut out some ornaments to decorate, Levi-darling?" The librarian asked in her usual friendly tone, slightly coarse with age. The short male nodded his head and reluctantly spun around to the do the said task. He hated that nickname. If it had been anyone else who was not an elderly, he would have beaten them to a pulp.

He strode over to the only available surface – the small kiddies table. He collected a few pieces of colored paper, slapped them down onto the desk before grabbing a few stencils and markers. He slumped himself down onto the small red chair, grumbling rude remarks.

"Damn brat. Had he kept his fucking mouth shut, I wouldn't need to be part timing in a crap job like this. And-"

"Can I cut stuff too?" A small girl, about the age of five with short jet-black hair, asked politely. She leaned in to hear his response, her short hair bouncing as she shuffled closer.

"No."

"Why not?" The girl insisted, leaning in and pouting slightly.

"Go complain to your parents." He glared at her angrily, a common look he gave - which normally scared people away. This time it wasn't working.

"I'm just asking why."

"Because we don't need your crappy drawings decorating an already crap library."

"But… maybe I'm good at it!"

"No. Now, leave."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"My mum says I can't leave since she went to the supermarket and needs me to stay till four." She said raising her chin with pride, now having a reason to stay. She wobbled over and sat on the chair beside him.

"Gimme."

"You fu- you brat. Just take some crayons and go sit over there." He grumbled, pushing a box of crayons at her. She placed them on the table again and stood up.

"No. I don't feel like it."

"Does it look like I feel like doing this? Go sit yourself down somewhere and learn to read."

"I know how to read. But I want to say here." She sat down beside him again and looked up at him.

"Are you just gonna sit there?" she asked.

"Don't tell me what to fuckin- Don't tell me what to do. Why do you feel like sitting down here anyways?" He glared at her again. She smiled cheekily.

"Because you are a funny man." Levi abruptly stood up and grabbed the back of her chair, sliding it farther from his. He gave her another stare, trying his best to look as dead scary as possible.

"And _you_ are an annoying brat."

She giggled in response. Luckily, she didn't move her seat. She sat there watching him get on with his work – humming tunes vaguely resembling nursery rhymes. For a while, he didn't mind the girl's presence. She sat quietly like he wanted her to and helped if she saw him reaching for something on her end of the table.

"Can I cut yet?" Levi looked up at her question.

_ Well. She had been behaving. And she wasn't being so much of a brat anymore._

"Wait here." He mumbled, getting up from the small chair easily. He disappeared for a few seconds, before coming back with a pair of children's scissors.

"Careful, don't cut yourself." She nodded violently with excitement, reaching her hand out to grab some paper with a stencil tracing. She began humming more chirpily as she cut through the paper messily – cutting into the tracing too often.

"What's your name?" The girl asked, still concentrated on the paper.

"You don't have to small talk."

"What is… nevermind, I wanna know your name," She insisted. "My name is Oliver."

"That's a boy's name."

"But I'm a girl."

"I know. And that's a boy's name." He repeated. She looked at him, puzzled by his statement. He shook his head and sighed.

"Nevermind. I'm Levi." A huge grin suddenly grew across her face.

"Nice to meet you!" she said bringing her hand out to shake his.

"Your hands are filthy." He grumbled, frowning at the idea of where her hands had been. On toys which other children chewed, on doors and buttons where people of everywhere had touched… He shivered at the thought. She quickly got up - finding a solution to Levi's problem - toddling over to the bathroom to wash her hands. She came back, holding her hand out – though she had not dried them. He sighed, reluctantly shaking her hand – using as little of his hand as possible.

"Now, enough with introductions and either get on with cutting or leave." She giggled again, wobbling back to her seat and began to cut paper sloppily. Levi grimaced in response, wiping the hand which he had shook on the desk and on scrap paper.

"Oliver? Sweetie?" A mother called out, walking towards the girl, who was still cutting paper like she had wanted to.

"Mama!" She dropped her scissors and paper, running to her mother with her arms out for a hug. She quickly changed her mind and grabbed her mum's shirt instead – pulling her towards Levi.

"This is Ledi!" She squeaked, a cheeky grin on her face – she reached out waving her hand at the older man. He gave a courteous nod and smile at the mother.

"Levi." He corrected, waving at Oliver slightly. The mother smiled politely and patted her daughter on the head.

"Did you make a friend?"

"Yes, yes, Ledi! He is funny and he let me cut the paper when I asked to!" Levi chuckled inwardly, unused to such genuine friendliness towards him.

"Nice to meet you. Thank you for looking after my daughter." The mother smiled, about to reach out to shake his hand but found Oliver accepting the hand instead. She chuckled and pulled her phone out, mumbling an 'oh.'

"Sweetie, we got to go, so say goodbye to the kind man. Okay?"

"Awww, b-but… Fine. Bye-bye, Mr. Ledi!" She grinned, waving her hand vigorously.

"Bye." He quickly replied, waving back as she reluctantly exited the library – still waving through the window outside. He smiled to himself, happy at least one person somewhat liked him. He looked back down at his work – finding he was pretty much done and hoped to excuse himself early from work. He picked up one of the successful paper cut-outs by the girl and walked back over to the till. He grabbed some tape and hanged it on the wall behind the till, along with other drawings and notices from the library. He smiled one more time as he grabbed his coat and braced himself for the cold winter afternoon outside of the building. It had been a while since he had gone back to his tiny apartment somewhat happy – even if it was only for a little while.

* * *

:3 levi's an adorable little grump.


End file.
